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How was your Memorial Day weekend? (Well, if you had a Memorial Day weekend to celebrate. ;) )

We had family come over and spend the day with us. And let me tell you, it was a really great day. The kiddos enjoyed each other from start to finish, we had lots of yummy food and BBQ, plenty of casual chatter, and well, not really a care in the world. I love relaxed days. And even more so with extra family around.

We have a BBQ grill, so everyone brought some meat to grill up, along with another sort of side to share. I decided that we needed a little something other than salad, veggies, chips and dips. So when I was flipping through a grilling magazine the other day that I bought at the checkout counter at the grocery store last week (the placement of those checkout stand products are so tricky……..they entice me all the time), I found some great looking frozen bananas, covered in all sorts of chocolate and other delicious bits of goodness. And because I really like bananas and, well, am in love with chocolate……..and the two of those together automatically puts me in a happy mood, I figured it would be a delicious sweet treat to share.

So out came the frozen banana treats:

Oh yummy. These little guys really make a great cold treat on a warm day. And it actually seems like you’re eating an ice cream bar………because those little bananas somehow trick you when they’re frozen.

I made 3 different varieties. Chocolate/Caramel/Pecan:

Vanilla Cookie/White Chocolate/Craisin:

**I used gluten free vanilla cookies. They were Glutino brand and I found them at my local Wal-Mart. But if you’re not gluten free, vanilla oreos would be awesome!

Chocolate/Toffee Bits/Oreo:

**I used gluten free chocolate cookies. They were Glutino brand and I found them at my local Wal-Mart. But if you’re not gluten free, regular oreos would be awesome!

The process to make them is very simple and pretty much the same for all 3 varieties.

First cut each banana in half. Then, shove a BBQ skewer in the bottom of the sliced end of the banana, sliding it through the center of the banana, almost to the top. Then microwave your milk chocolate (or white chocolate) chips in the microwave until it turns into a nice thin consistency. (Be sure to stop the microwave after every 20-30 seconds or so to stir.) Add a little bit of canola (or vegetable) oil to thin down the consistency if needed. For every 1 cup of melted chocolate chips, I added about 1 tablespoon of oil. But that could be more or less depending on your brand of chocolate chips. So just add little dribbles at a time and stir. Then dip your banana into the melted chocolate chips, cover the entire banana, shake off the excess chocolate, then place flat onto a cookie sheet. (I didn’t do so, but it would have helped to place tin foil down first. Then removing the bananas later on would have been easier.) Then sprinkle your toppings on. Sometimes it helps to press the cookie bits/nuts into the chocolate, to secure it in place. Then drizzle bits of caramel or more chocolate on top (depending on what combination you’re making), binding everything together. Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours until the banana is frozen all the way through.

Then remove from pan, stick skewer ends into a piece of foam, and then serve.

And of course, enjoy.

Here’s how we spent the rest of the day, when we weren’t eating good food.

The kids LOVED swimming, splashing, and playing mermaids (thanks older boy cousins for accommodating!) in the hot tub. Again, I’m so glad the owners left the hot tub for our use while we rent this house. We just turned the temperature way down and let the kiddos enjoy a little mini swimming pool in the backyard.

I like to add peanut butter to my melted chocolate sometimes. My favorite frozen banana is covered in dark chocolate and crushed nuts (preferably the ones at the bottom of the jar, they’re always the saltiest!)

Another great frozen summer treat for me has always been grapes. I saw on pinterest awhile back someone made the frozen grapes into mini caramel apples. I think I’m too much of a purest to alter something so delicious on their own!

Looks like ya’ll had a blast. Your daughter is like a little mini version of you! It is crazy, because I have seen that so many times lately in people I went to school with, etc. I must have reached THAT age all of a sudden. 8-I

I have been eating bananas like crazy since I have been pregnant. I saw a recipe on pinterest for little peanutbutter and chocolate banana bites. Instead, I have been covering the banana in peanut butter then covering the entire thing in melted chocolate and freezing it. So good!

I just came to your blog thanks to UCreate, I love it! Then I saw this post! It made me think of my childhood, I grew up in Guatemala, and there, you can go to the candy store and buy “chocobananas” yes, a frozen banana covered in chocolate on a stick, in a hot country like that it’s ten times better than ice cream!
Thanks for sharing!